Monday, November 7, 2011

JALALABAD: Seven pilgrims from Gujarat, including women and children, were killed and more than 30 injured, some of them seriously, when their private tourist bus skidded off the road and rolled down into a drain on way to Amritsar, near Jalalabad town in Fazilka district of Punjab, early morning on Sunday.

According to information, the passengers were on a pilgrimage tour to Amritsar and Vaishno Devi shrine from Ahmedabad in Gujarat when it plunged into the drain as the driver apparently dozed off while at the wheel.

Four tourists, who died on the spot, could not be identified while three others, who breathed their last on way to the local civil hospital, have been identified as Raj Kumar, Rasilaben and Prabhu Lal. As the news of the accident spread, local NGOs, police and medical staff reached the spot and started rescue work.

The injured were taken to the local civil hospital and those in critical condition were referred to medical college in Faridkot.

The injured pilgrims, who have been admitted in the local civil hospital, are Kamalbhai, Mogjibhai, Chawla Bhogilal, Karsanbhai, Kantaben, Saraswatiben, Jayaben, Rishu, Bamilaben, Himmatbhai, Pamilaben, Premhi Bhai, Niraliben and Moneyben. The bodies of the victims have been sent to the civil hospital in Fazilka for post mortem examination.

Charandev Singh Mann, ADC, Fazilka, said that the district administration has made arrangements for the return journey of the remaining passengers.

Beautiful Fazilka

Fazilite Network..

About Fazilka...

160 year old historical town Fazilka of District Ferozepur, also known as Bangla, is located in southwestern Punjab (INDIA), about 325 kms west of Punjab State Capital Chandigarh, 85 km south-west of the district headquarters, Ferozepur and 200 km south of Amritsar. Fazilka is on India -Pakistan border and is 11 km off the international border with Pakistan. It is situated on the rice growing and cotton rich belt of the state and is one of the major rice exporting centers in India. Before partition, the town was the biggest wool market in undivided Punjab.

Fazilka’s origin dates back to AD 1844. It was established by Mr. Oliver and was christened after the original owner of the land, Mian Fazil Watoo. The first railway line through the town was setup in AD 1898 on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the accession of Queen Victoria. Being at the border, Fazilka also had to bear the brunt of the two Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971.

The famous ‘Tosha’ sweets have its origin in Fazilka. The first single cylinder steam ship in the world, Fazilka, was named after this town. Fazilka is also home to the second biggest TV tower in Asia, which stands at 305 m above the ground.
Amritsar International Airport and Ludhiana Domestic Airport serves Fazilka. Fazilka Railway Station is located on Abhor- Ferozepur Region of Northern Railways. National Highway 10 passes through Fazilka.

Geography & Demography of the City:

As of 2001 India census,Fazilka had a population of 67,424. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Fazilka has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72%, and female literacy is 62%. In Fazilka, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age